Building Character with Julian Navarro from Free Souls (The Mindjack Trilogy #3)

Hi! Welcome to my new blog feature, Building Character in which you get to meet a character from a book. I’m really excited about this feature, because it is so much fun talking to a character outside of their book! Huge. Amounts. Of fun.

Today I’m actually blushing and giggling like a schoolgirl, because I have JULIAN NAVARRO from the Mindjack Trilogy. I fell madly in crush with Julian during Closed Hearts and I am SO excited to spend more time with him in Free Souls. But, I don’t have to wait, because he’s RIGHT HERE! Queue fangirl squeals. (Kai takes a deep breath. Collects herself. Pretends to be professional – but has a blush on her cheeks.)

Julian for the poor unfortunate souls out there who don’t know who you are, why don’t you introduce yourself.

Good afternoon, my name is Julian Navarro, and I’m a mindjacker. More specifically, I’m a handler, which means I don’t actually reach into people’s minds to control their thoughts, feelings, or memories, like a normal jacker. My ability lets me control your instincts instead: I can reach into the deepest, darkest part of your brain, the part that controls your instinctual need to drop a hot plate, run away from danger, or fall in love. That’s the part that I can manipulate.

Regular mindreaders don’t really know what I can do, and the jackers that know, don’t care for it so much. But it allows me to do the thing I’m meant to do: lead jackers into a better world, where we can all be free.

You live in a pretty harrowing time. Tell us more about what you’re up against.

The world is a hostile place for mindjackers, with mindreaders growing more anxious and afraid with every passing day. I’m working to bring jackers around the country to Jackertown, to build our Jacker Freedom Alliance, but the battle will be tough. There are some who would rather see us jailed or killed outright. They are afraid of us, but their fears are no excuse to treat jackers the way that they do, branding us like cattle, locking us up. Controlling us. We are people, just like anyone else, and we deserve to be free, the same as any mindreader walking the streets of Chicago New Metro. Someday, I’ll make that dream a reality.

Wow, that’s huge! Please tell me you aren’t doing this all alone. Is there someone who stands by you, supports your efforts, the cause?

My best friend, outside my twin sister Anna, is probably Kira. She’s the one who started this whole revolution, and she’s the one who should be leading the JFA, not me. She’s really more than a friend, she’s... an inspiration. Always has been, even before I met her. And now that I’ve had a chance to know her, well... having her around helps me face the fight ahead. I keep telling her that, but she doesn’t seem to hear it. I think she’s still hurting over her boyfriend... the one I failed to save from a ruthless jacker who punched holes in his memory. I don’t know if she’ll ever forgive me for that, but at least for now, she’s still by my side. Which is a good thing, because I’m not sure what I would do without her.

I’m not sure I like how you hesitate when you talk about Kira. Like, maybe there’s more than you’re ready to admit. (Chanting, am not jealous, am not jealous). Julian, you’re still so young. If you are successful in your efforts, what you possibly be left for you to do later?

I’ve always known that I would do what I’m doing now: leading a revolution to free mindjackers. My parents had prepared me for this my entire childhood, right up until the day the car crash took them and left my sister Anna and I to carry out their work. Now that the time is here, I hope I don’t let them down.

Well, you’re leadership material to me and I’m routing for you…er, your cause 100%. Thanks for visiting with us. Stay safe!

About the book:

Free Souls (Book Three in the Mindjack Trilogy)

When your mind is a weapon, freedom comes at a price.

Four months have passed since Kira left home to join Julian’s Jacker Freedom Alliance, but the hole in her heart still whistles empty where her boyfriend Raf used to be. She fills it with weapons training, JFA patrols, and an obsessive hunt for FBI agent Kestrel, ignoring Julian’s worries about her safety and repeated attempts to recruit her for his revolutionary chat-casts. When anti-jacker politician Vellus surrounds Jackertown with the National Guard, Kira discovers there’s more to Julian’s concerns than she knew, but she’s forced to take on a mission that neither want and that might be her last: assassinating Senator Vellus before he can snuff out Julian’s revolution and the jackers she’s come to love.

Susan Kaye Quinn is the author of the bestselling Mindjack Series, which includes three novels, three novellas, and a trailer. She's currently writing a steampunk fantasy romance, and has plans to start the New Year with writing Singularity, an androids-of-the-future story that will appeal to fans of the Mindjack series.

Please include contact information; websites, blogs, social media here:

http://www.susankayequinn.com/

http://www.mindjacktrilogy.com

https://twitter.com/susankayequinn

http://www.facebook.com/susankayequinnauthor

But WAIT! There’s more. Today is COVER REVEAL day and here she is in all her glory! And of course there are giveaways. (Thanks Susan!)

Free Souls by Susan Kaye Quinn

(Book Three of the Mindjack Trilogy) Now Available!

When your mind is a weapon, freedom comes at a price.

Four months have passed since Kira left home to join Julian’s Jacker Freedom Alliance, but the hole in her heart still whistles empty where her boyfriend Raf used to be. She fills it with weapons training, JFA patrols, and an obsessive hunt for FBI agent Kestrel, ignoring Julian’s worries about her safety and repeated attempts to recruit her for his revolutionary chat-casts. When anti-jacker politician Vellus surrounds Jackertown with the National Guard, Kira discovers there’s more to Julian’s concerns than she knew, but she’s forced to take on a mission that neither want and that might be her last: assassinating Senator Vellus before he can snuff out Julian’s revolution and the jackers she’s come to love.

All Mindjack stories available on Amazon, Barnes&Noble, Kobo, Smashwords, and iTunes (Note Free Souls is not yet available on iTunes)

Early Praise for Free Souls

“Quinn paints a picture of a not-too-distant America where politicians inflame the hatred of one section of the populace for another—all for their own gain—and you worry that her world is not so far off from our own.”

— Dianne Salerni, author of We Hear the Dead, The Caged Graves, and the forthcoming The Eighth Day

"Free Souls starts with a bang and doesn't let up. Like a mash-up of all your favorite science-fiction adventures from Star Wars to The Legend of Korra, it blends nonstop action, nail-biting escapes, and great romance. I absolutely loved it! A great series conclusion—a must-read."

— Leigh Talbert Moore, author of Rouge and The Truth About Faking

“Susan did it again. Free Souls was WOW! I expected Kira to step up to her role as heroine but not like this. Surprises kept coming until the very end which tied up more loose ends than I knew existed. Warning: Don't start reading until you have time to finish. I didn't want to put Free Souls down for a second. It's that kind of book.”

— Sher A. Hart, Goodreads Review

Interview Susan's over at Amy Saunder's blog today (12.14.12), answering questions about how she came up with the mages' abilities, what kind of mage she would be, and all about her future works. Digital Box Set Since Free Souls is out, there is now a Digital Box Set of the Mindjack Trilogy for those of you who want the whole series!

Available on Amazon, Barnes&Noble

Mindjack Origins Collection Want more Julian? Wondering how Sasha's ability really works? Looking for EXCLUSIVE DELETED SCENES from Free Souls? This collection of novellas, scenes, and other goodies is for those craving a bit more of the characters and drama of the Mindjack series.

Includes: Mindjack Novellas Mind Games (Raf's story) The Handler (Julian's story) The Scribe (Sasha's story) TWO EXCLUSIVE DELETED SCENES from Free Souls (published nowhere else!) PLUS Mindjack flash fiction, an (imaginary) conversation between Raf and Julian, and other goodies for readers who want just a little bit more of Kira, Julian, Raf, and the Mindjack crew.

Available on Amazon, Barnes&Noble

ENTER TO WIN one of FIVE ecopies of the Mindjack Origins Collection

a Rafflecopter giveaway